Folding table



(No M01181.

O. A MAIN. FOLDING TABLE.

vPatented May 10, 1887. @J.

witness co ugrapher, Washlnglun. 91c- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES ASHLEY MAIN, OF GRAND BLANC, MICHIGAN.

FOLDING TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 362,522, dated May 10, 1887.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES ASHLEY MAIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grand Blanc, in the county of Genesee and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Folding Tables, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in tables, and has for its object the provision of a simple, durable, and strong table,which can be readily folded-into a small compass for storage and transportation.

My invention consists in certain novel features of the device shown in the accompanying drawings, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings referred to, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved table set up for use.

- Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the table, the

' readily understood.

legs and side rails being shown as folded close to the under side of the table-top. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the table completely folded for transportation or storage. Fig. 4 is a detail vertical section on the line 00 m, Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings particularly by letter, A designates the table-top and B the legs thereof. The table-top is divided midway its ends transversely, forming the two leaves, a a, which are joined by hinges G, secured to their contiguous edges, as shown, so that the said leaves may be folded together, as will be The leaves a a are provided on their under sides with the L-shaped lugs D, which are arranged on opposite sides of the longitudinal medial line of the table-top and about equidistant from the contiguous edgesoftheleaves. Betweentheselugsmearthe edge of one of the leaves, I pivotally secure a locking bar or latch, E, which engages the said lugs, as will be readily understood, to hold the two leaves in the same horizontal plane when the table is set up and prevent the collapse thereof. The legs 13 are arranged in pairs, one pair being provided for each of the leaves, and the legs of each pair are connected by a crossbar, I), and said cross-bar carries on its outer side a hook, F, which engages an eye, f, secured to the under side of the table-top near the outer edge thereof. The legs are thus rigidly secured to the table-top when the table isset up, and prevented from folding in from the weight of table-top and to the inner side of the legs at theirupper edges, so that the legs can be folded inward up against the under side of the tabletop.

G are the side rails. They are made in two parts joined bya hinge, g, as shown. One of the parts, 9, is secured rigidly and permanently to the under side of the leaf, and the other part, is free to swing round to the other leaf. The free end of the swinging portion 9' is provided with a notch, h, which is engaged by the end of a button, H, secured upon the side of one of the legs. This button H may be of a thickness about equal to the width of the notch h, to enable its end to fit snugly in said notch; but I prefer to make it, as shown, of a thickness about equal to the thickness of the side rail and provide a tongue, h, on its end to engage the notch, as this construction gives a better support to the said rail.

It will be observed that the length of theside rails is equal to the length of the table-top, and the dividing-line between the two parts comes just in alignment with the meeting line of the two leaves. It will also be observed that the rigid portions of the two side rails are not secured both to one leaf, but one to each leaf. This arrangement, it will be seen, at once equalizes the resistance of the two leaves, so that one is notstrengthened at the expense of the other.

When it is desired to fold the table for storage or transportation, the buttons H are disengaged from the notches h and the side rails are folded upon themselves, and the legs 13 are then folded up to the under side of the tabletop, as will be readily understood, when the several parts will be in the position shown in Fig. 2. The locking-bar E is now disengaged from the lugs D and the two leaves of the table are folded back together. The table will now appear as shown in Fig. 3, and can be set aside, occupying Very little room. It will also be seen that a large number of the tables can be packed in a comparatively small space, greatly facilitating the transportation of the same in quantities.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. A folding table having a top made in two parts or leaves hinged together and divided side rails having one portion permanently secured to one of the leaves and its other portion hinged to such permanent portion and detachably secured to the other leaf, the hinges of theleaves and the side rails being in the same vertical plane, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of the folding table-top, the legs hinged thereto, the folding side rails carried by the top, having a rigid and a swing ing portion, the swinging portion being provided with a notch at its free end, the hinges of the table'leaves and the side rails being in 

